Groom your way through a first date

Our tips on when to shave, how to trim and not trying too hard

Congratulations, you have a first date. And regardless of whether it was set up online, through friends, or at a bar at 4am on a Saturday night with enough Johnny Walker Red flowing through your system to mistake her for the spectral reincarnation of a 23-year-old Elizabeth Taylor, you better have a game plan in place to make it work. Because whether your intention is to kick-start a meaningful courtship that ends in marriage, or just get your rocks off, most dates don’t end the way you imagine them to.

Before we delve into the nitty gritty of how to prep for your first date, let’s start with the biggest mistake you can avoid making, ie the one thing not to do:

Don’t try too hard The fatal error guys make on a first date is going all out on every single step of the grooming process. Sure, the day of a big date is a more important marker on your grooming calendar than, say, tax day or laundry day, but it shouldn’t necessarily be an occasion to change your entire physical appearance. On the one hand, yeah, a woman needs to know that you care. On the other, if you look like you thought about this night every waking minute since you made the plans, you’re going to end up looking scarier than Freddy Krueger. Avoiding that means not doing any of the following:

Adding highlights to your hair. Dyeing your hair. Waxing every last remaining hair from your legs and chest. Taking a bath in aftershave lotion. Putting half a bottle of product in your hair so it looks like you’re wearing a black plastic helmet. Getting a last-minute tattoo of Peter Pan on your upper thigh.

The thing is, you can’t control the outcome of a date (let’s assume here that we’re talking about two consenting adults, neither of who are virtual or computer-based.) What you can control, however, is your pre-date anxiety level by taking care of your own appearance in a mature, reasonable way. Here’s exactly how that’s done:

Shave the night before (and not necessarily on the day of) the date It’s always better to give your face a little time to settle after shaving. And unless you’re the type of human-Alaskan grizzly bear hybrid who grows a full beard in a matter of hours, shaving the night before or possibly the early morning of a big date gives your face the time it needs to heal and look its best. Additionally, the slightest hint of stubble looks masculine, and gives the impression that the date isn’t necessarily the end of the world for you (see above: Don’t try too hard).

Squeeze in some (light) exercise Yes, working out isn’t really a grooming issue. Nevertheless, it’s more important to your immediate, day-of-date physical appearance than you might think. A hard workout releases positive hormones that will make your skin glow and improve your self-confidence and mood. Naturally, if you have weight problems, one workout will not make a substantial difference. But for those of you who are already in shape, your muscles and muscle tone may show signs of improved definition after some light exercise.